


An Ode to Cuddle Buddies

by eafay70



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: (though not much hurt), 5+1 Things, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Stuffed Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-08 11:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14104572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eafay70/pseuds/eafay70
Summary: Five times Sid paid it forward with a plushie, and one time he was paid back.





	An Ode to Cuddle Buddies

**Author's Note:**

> This week's Fluff Fest prompt was "comfort items." To say that this is my jam is an understatement, as regular readers of my fics are well aware. XD
> 
> The idea for this fic came to me while I was sitting around waiting for the repair guy to call so we could schedule an appointment for him to fix our oven. (Yes, our oven needs repairing less than a week before the Seders. It hasn't been good for our stress levels, to put it mildly.) I think this is the first 5 + 1 fic I've ever finished! :D
> 
> A heartfelt _spasibo_ to @sidsknees on Tumblr, aka bicroft on AO3, for help with understanding Latin script through a young Russian's eyes and for help with Russian transliteration.  <3
> 
> And an equally heartfelt _merci_ to sevenfists (on both Tumblr and AO3) for telling me the age gap between the Crosby siblings.  <3
> 
> And an equally heartfelt _kiitos_ to caixa on AO3, aka @pob-lwc-caixa on Tumblr, for help with a certain plot point towards the end.  <3

_1: ca. 1995, Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia_  
Sid frowned as Taylor whimpered unhappily. Their parents were downstairs with guests, so Sid was in charge of watching Taylor while she napped. Unfortunately, she hadn't slept for very long before waking up again, clearly unhappy.

"What's wrong?" Sid whispered. He carefully picked her up, sniffed, and placed her back down. "You don't need a diaper change, and you're louder when you're hungry...did you have a bad dream?"

To Sid's surprise, Taylor seemed to nod before whimpering some more. "You understood?" Sid gasped. She seemed to nod again. "Cool! Well, not really because you had a bad dream, but don't worry! I'll be right back!"

He ran to his bedroom and surveyed the dresser where his stuffed animals lived. After a few moments, he selected one and ran back to Taylor's room with it.

"I don't know why Mom and Dad gave you a blankie instead of a buddy," Sid informed Taylor. "A buddy will keep away nightmares." He carefully lowered the husky into her crib. "This is Blizzard."

Taylor grabbed Blizzard and cooed. "Now go to sleep, Taylor. I love you." She smiled before closing her eyes, holding Blizzard tightly.

That night, Sid gripped his favorite stuffed animal to his chest and whispered, "Taylor didn't wake up until Mom and Dad came to her room. I think she loves Blizzard as much as I love you."

  
  


_2: fall 2002, Shattuck-St. Mary's, Faribault, Minnesota_  
Sid tossed and turned, wishing he'd been able to unpack a little faster that afternoon. He had hoped to hide his favorite stuffed animal in the bed before his roommate arrived, but Jack had shown up earlier than Sid predicted, so he was all alone in his bed, unable to sleep. He just hoped his movements on the squeaky mattress didn't wake up Jake.

"You can't sleep, either?" Jack whispered.

Well, so much for that hope. "New place and all that," Sid whispered back.

"Yeah," Jack sighed. "My mom wouldn't let me bring my teddy bear. Said I was too old." He sounded utterly devastated, which made Sid's heart break.

"You're never too old for a buddy!" Sid retorted without thinking. He got out of bed and walked to the closet, where he opened his suitcase and pulled out two items before walking towards Jack's bed. "I got distracted while unpacking earlier, but I didn't want to wake you up getting my buddy. You want this guy?"

Jack sat up and took the offered plush wolverine. "You're the same color as my bear, Mr. Michigan. Do you have a name?"

"Logan," Sid replied.

"Oh, like in the comic books!" Jack realized. "Thanks, Sid. I'll give him back as soon as my mom sends me Mr. Michigan."

Sid shook his head. "You can keep him. I bet he and Mr. Michigan are going to be good friends."

He walked back to his bed and slipped under the covers with his favorite stuffed animal just in time to hear Jack say, "I bet we're going to be good friends, too." Sid hummed loudly in agreement before falling asleep.

  
  


_3: early January 2004, World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Helsinki, Finland_  
"No, no, no..." Sid picked up his suitcase and emptied it on the hotel room floor. "This can't be happening...this absolutely can NOT be happening..."

"Sidney?" Marc-Andre, one of the goalkeepers, was standing in the doorway. "You left the door ajar, and I couldn't help hearing your cries of agony. Are you alright?"

Sid forced himself not to roll his eyes at how dramatic Marc-Andre made him sound; after all, Marc-Andre was French-Canadian, and Sid's time in Rimouski was proof that French-Canadians rarely missed a chance to be dramatic. "It's...it's not really a big deal. I'm just...overreacting."

"I somehow doubt that - you sound positively heartbroken." Marc-Andre entered the room, closed the door all the way, and walked up to Sid. "What's the matter?"

"I can't find my plushie," Sid explained. "I thought I packed him when we had to move rooms, and everything else is in here, but..." He shook his head unhappily.

"I still can't believe they made us move rooms in the middle of a tournament," Marc-Andre complained. "Surely we could have stayed in our rooms and the other teams could have found other rooms...Ah, well, that's not the point. What does your friend look like?"

"He's the Expos mascot," Sid replied. "I wrote my initials and lucky number on the tag in case he got lost, but..."

"Do you call him the same name as the mascot?" Marc-Andre asked.

Sid shook his head. "My best friend has the same plushie, so mine has a different name."

"I see." Marc-Andre hummed in thought. "Do you want me to help spread the word, so everyone knows to keep an eye out?"

"No, thanks," Sid frowned. "I really don't want everyone to know that I still need a specific plushie. And I have a few others."

"I see that!" Marc-Andre smiled at the various stuffed animals on the floor among Sid's other belongings. "My mother wouldn't let me bring my teddy bear to another country. I wish I had _Madame Chance_ with me now."

"Want Tux?" Sid offered a penguin wearing a bowtie.

_"Merci beaucoup, Sidney !"_

Sid couldn't help laughing as Marc-Andre hugged Tux. _"De rien."_

  
  


_4: October 5, 2005, East Rutherford, New Jersey_  
Sid had grown accustomed to pre-game naps without his favorite cuddle buddy, but it was proving very difficult today. "Sorry, Louky," Sid sighed, patting the Rimouski stuffed animal on the head. "It's not you, it's me."

Gonch laughed from across the room. "You're breaking up with your...um...is that a seal?"

Sid nodded. "I guess I'm just nervous."

"It's your big debut! Of course you're nervous!" Gonch smiled kindly at Sid, who smiled back. "Maybe use one of the extra pillows if the seal isn't working?"

"Hm..." Sid placed Louky on the nightstand and grabbed one of the decorative pillows from the end of the bed. He held it to his chest and closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm down...

"Sid...Sid!"

He jolted upright. "Did I fall asleep?"

"Yes, and now you have to get ready," Gonch replied. "I hope you don't mind that I borrowed Louky for my nap? Normally I don't need anything, but he looked so lonely..."

"Not a problem!" Sid said. "You can keep him for the girls."

"Only one for two girls?" Gonch frowned.

"Hang on..." Sid dug in his suitcase and produced a bear wearing a Canada jersey. "They can have Puckster, too."

"Thanks!" Gonch grinned as he packed away the plushies in his own suitcase. "And now it's hockey time!"

  
  


_5: August 2006, Sewickley, Pennsylvania_  
Sid could tell that something was up from the way everyone had been acting that day, so it didn't come as a complete surprise that there were visitors that night. However, Sid was very surprised by the identity of one of the visitors: "Evgeni Malkin?!"

The man blinked sleepily, which would have triggered a 'love at first sight' reaction in Sid if he hadn't already fallen in love a few seconds earlier with the man's tall body and soft face. "Sidney Crosby," the Russian whispered in awe before slipping into a stream of Russian.

"He says it's an honor to meet you, and he can't wait to play alongside you," Gonch translated.

Sid smiled and held out his hand, which Evgeni firmly shook. "I hope I didn't ruin your name, Evgeni," he said.

Evgeni crinkled his nose while Gonch translated Sid's statement, then said something in Russian. "It's not great, but he's very willing to help you work on it," Gonch translated, narrowing his eyes at the newcomer.

Sid nodded gratefully, trying not to stare at Evgeni as he yawned and stretched. "Do you...want to crush a nap or something?"

Gonch translated. Evgeni nodded furiously and said, "Yes, yes, yes!"

"You can crash on the couch in the guest house," Sid offered. Gonch's translation yielded more enthusiastic nods from Evgeni, so Sid led the way, allowing Gonch and Evgeni to converse in Russian.

"I told him you're staying in the guest house," Gonch explained. "He's very, very grateful because making a great escape is very, very tiring, especially with time zones playing a role."

"I bet," Sid smiled as they entered the guest house and walked to the den. "Here's the couch."

Before Sid could explain that it folded out to a bed, Evgeni flopped onto the couch with a content sigh. He mumbled into the cushions, which Gonch translated as, "He doesn't plan on getting up for several hours."

"Not even for a minute so I can make the bed?" Sid asked. "It folds out."

Gonch translated, and Evgeni shook his head, merely wiggling against the cushions as he found a comfortable spot.

"At least let me get you a proper pillow?" Sid asked.

Gonch's translation was interrupted by Evgeni shaking his head.

"Well, at least...hang on..." Sid hurried to his bedroom, grabbed an item off the shelf opposite his bed, and hurried back to the den. "I bought this awhile back in case someone on the team needed me to babysit here or something. You can have it - a 'welcome to Pittsburgh' present from me."

Gonch stared at the item Sid was offering for a few seconds before translating for Evgeni, who sat up so he could accept the present. Evgeni asked a question, and Gonch translated it: "Does it have a name?"

"Iceburgh," Sid replied. "He's the team mascot."

Gonch translated this information. From what Sid could hear, the play on words made sense in Russian, too - that, or Evgeni was too tired to ponder the matter. Evgeni hugged the penguin to his chest and said, "Thank you, Sidney Crosby. Iceburgh."

"You're welcome," Sid replied.

At that moment, if someone had told Sid that Evgeni would spend many a night at the guest house over the following years, Sid would have believed it wholeheartedly. However, if that same someone had then told Sid that Evgeni would never again sleep on the couch, but rather in Sid's bed as his boyfriend, Sid would have been unable to imagine it, no matter how much he wanted it to happen. And yet, within weeks of the season starting, Sid was leading Evgeni (whom he now called Geno because he hadn't yet mastered how to say Evgeni) to his bedroom in the guest house, having been kissed by the Russian at practice earlier that day.

  
  


_+1: spring 2010, Sewickley, Pennsylvania_  
Sid couldn't help giggling as he led Geno into the master bedroom. "Our first night in my new house!"

"Nobody to make Sid feel quiet!" Geno waggled his eyebrows and dropped his duffel bag next to the bed. "Where I'm put fun stuff?"

"Um..." Sid blushed and waved a hand toward the bureau. "You can put your clothes in the drawer, like we talked about..."

"Okay." Geno kissed Sid on the nose before opening one of the drawers - and bursting out in laughter as he pulled out a large blanket. "HABS?!"

Sid realized that he'd forgotten to specify that Geno was supposed to use the middle drawer, not the top drawer. "You know I grew up a Habs fan, G!"

"I'm not really believe until now," Geno admitted. "Habs, Sid! Not exactly the best..."

"Hey!" Sid scowled. "The Habs will always hold a special place in my heart."

"Okay, Sid, sorry!" Geno held up his hands in surrender. "Habs mascot kind of cute. I'm have plushie of him, actually - weird jersey, but still kind of cute." He opened his duffel bag and produced...

_"Quatre-vingt-sept!"_

Geno's jaw dropped as Sid grabbed [Youppi! in his Montreal Expos uniform](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fmcAAOSwHHFY-Niq/s-l300.jpg) and gave him a big hug. "He yours?!"

Sid nodded and showed Geno the tag. "I wrote 'SC 87' so everyone would know he was mine!"

Geno blinked in amazement. "I'm find in Finland. I'm not know English back then, so it look like weird symbol, then 'ssssss' sound, then number. So I'm call him _восемьдесят семь_ for eighty-seven."

"That's what _quatre-vingt-sept_ means," Sid explained. "He was my favorite, so I brought him with me to World Juniors in Helsinki, but I lost him in the hotel when we had to rearrange rooms after the group stage."

"I'm find then!" Geno confirmed. "I'm talk to him when things so bad in Russia and I want come here. When we think of Finland for great escape, I remember Finland was where I'm find him, so I know plan going to work, and I bring him with me for luck. And now I bring him here for luck in your new house." He paused in thought. "How I'm never realize 'SC 87' mean you?"

"You had no reason to look at the tag more than once," Sid pointed out. "And even if you had, it could have been a brand label."

"True," Geno acknowledged. "Why he not have Habs shirt?"

"Youppi! represented the Expos until they became the Nationals, which was...early 2000s, I think?" Geno looked confused, so Sid clarified, "The Montreal Expos were a baseball team. They're now the Washington Nationals."

"Then why Youppi! not friends with Caps eagle?" Geno asked.

Sid shrugged. "They have an eagle of their own, and a bunch of weird-looking presidents who race each other. I guess Youppi! used mascot magic to make sure he would stay in Montreal."

"Make sense." Geno stroked the mascot's head softly. "We call you _vosem'desyat sem'_ or...um...how say in French?"

Sid said it slowly: _"Quatre-vingt-sept."_

Geno shook his head. "Not happening anytime soon."

"And I have no chance of saying anything in Russian correctly anytime soon," Sid noted. "Let's call him Eighty-Seven as a compromise?"

"Okay," Geno agreed. "You cuddle with Eighty-Seven tonight? Make up for lost time?"

"Not exactly." Sid wrapped an arm around Geno and pulled him close. "I'd hate to give up my new cuddle partner just because I got back my old one. I intend to cuddle with both of you."

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always appreciated! If you'd like to know more about the inspiration for the name and/or "species" of a particular plushie, let me know. I wish I had time to list all of them now, but that's not the case right now. *sigh*
> 
> Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates it! And a Zissen Pesach to everyone who celebrates it; here's hoping none of us get too sick of the bread of our affliction!


End file.
